Did You Know?
The world record set in 2002 for a family of Russian dolls included 51 dolls. The tallest was 53.9 cm, the smallest 31 mm.
When travelling overseas, you have to spend some time thinking about gifts. What should you buy your mum and dad, sister, brother or best friend? It can often be a challenge, with many of us leaving it to the very last minute. People like to buy a memento or souvenir of the country they have visited, something that will remind them of the happy days they spent in a different country. It could be a Yankees baseball cap if you visit the U.S.A. In Vietnam, a straw hat called a nón lá is a popular purchase for tourists. If you ever visit Russia, you may want to think about buying a Russian doll. They are like no other doll.
The proper name for a Russian doll is a Matryoshka Doll. When you first see it, it looks like a single doll. Pick it up and twist its top, you will find that it comes apart around the middle. Inside is a second doll, looking exactly the same as the first, but smaller. Twist the second doll, and the same thing happens. You keep twisting each doll until you end up with a very tiny doll. Usually, there can be up to 10 dolls making up a set.
Russian dolls were first made in 1890 and included eight dolls. These were all hand carved and painted. They were dressed in a traditional dress called a sarafan. The word ‘Matryoshka’ means matron – an older married woman. The idea was that it represented a family with the mother being at its head. The dolls proved to be extremely popular and it was not long before every carpenter was making them.
The Russian doll appeared in the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1900. Everyone who saw them wanted one. They soon became very popular souvenirs for people visiting Russia. Being quite small, they could fit into your luggage very easily – unlike a nón lá! The dolls were all hand carved and painted until about 1930, when factories began mass producing inexpensive Russian dolls.
Walking around the tourist streets of Moscow, the capital city of Russia, you will find countless shops selling Russian dolls. The traditional matron-style dolls are still there, but today you can also find the images of all kinds of different people. One popular choice is to have different Russian or American leaders. Fairy tale characters are also widely available.
The Russian doll is a perfect souvenir to remind everyone of Russia.
Take a closer look at the Matryoshka Doll:
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